Other

Tenyo Co., Ltd.

Tedco, Inc.

Knowlton, Kenneth C.

Setteducati, Mark

Mark Setteducati

Hiroshi Kondo

Kenneth C Knowlton

Stewart M Lamle

Tooru Suzuki

Joseph J Wetherell

Joseph F Hyland

William L King

Robert L Carignan

Anne Benkovitz

Terry Chan

A mosaic puzzle set has a predetermined number of pieces () with unique, directionally visible, identifiers and different brightness characteristics, three for grey scale and five for color, comprising average brightness(es), and direction and magnitude of brightness gradients, enabling assembly to copy any user selected target picture () by following a dedicated table/chart (). An internet server () storing piece characteristics and accessible for target picture upload and chart download by an access code in the purchased set, divides (S) the target picture () into a same number of data areas () as pieces, analyzes their brightness characteristics and assembles the chart () by provisionally assigning pieces to respective target areas () and exchanging them for each other when sums of respective mismatch values between pieces and respective target areas are thereby reduced (S-S). Alternatively, pieces are divisions of an iconic source picture or only screen images. Pieces in a humped brightness histogram, population distribution provide greater detail. A grid-form tray supports and aligns pieces during assembly. Internet () billing is possible.

Personalized mosaic puzzle set

An illusion toy has a housing in which a blade is rotated in one direction too rapidly to be seen through 270 degrees between rest positions on respective opposite sides of an article receiving through hole, providing the illusion that the blade has rotated in an opposite direction across the through hole, through the article. An actuating lever for a blade rotating overcenter mechanism has a loop aligned with the through hole so that a trigger end of the lever can be visibly moved between opposite sides of the through hole in the same direction as the apparent movement of the blade. A hollow housing handle forms a candy dispensing store and connects to a delivery chute extending across the housing obscuring a radially outer portion of the blade path providing an impression that rotation of the blade in the one direction is blocked by candy.

Illusion toy

An amusement device has an image carrying substrate with a corrugated surface with a transverse mirror at a rear end and is marked with first and second sets of strip-like image fragments forming, respectively, first and second composite image components. Image fragments of the second set are both differently shaped, laterally inverted and arranged alternately along the image surface relative to image fragments of the first set so that the corrugations selectively expose image fragments of the first and second sets to the front, away from the reflecting surface, and to the rear, for reflection in the reflecting surface, so that the image fragments of first and second sets combine to form first and second image components, respectively, seen by viewing, simultaneously, directly from the front and by reflection so that first and second image components combine to provide a continuous composite image not readily predicted by a casual spectator.

Amusement device completing composite image by reflection

A deformable drawing tablet in which contiguous longitudinal edge portions of a stack of individual elongate strips which are confined for relative sliding movement to form a drawing surface. A user can shift individual strips longitudinally to deform the drawing surface thereby distorting an image drawn or preprinted on the drawing surface. Longitudinal end portions of the strips form a lateral edge of the tablet so that the lateral edge can be formed into profiles of different characters by shifting the strips longitudinally to different relative positions. An edge forming die includes a stencil for drawing character features. The strips are clamped in a coplanar stack by a transverse locating post, extending through slots in the strips and secured at opposite ends to a cap and a base which house an eraser and a drawing implement, respectively.

Deformable drawing tablet

An interactive system for motion picture display of a magic show has a remote information site, such as a television station or internet web site having one of a series of cameras for recording simultaneously different views of a same motion element of a live magic show from predetermined different camera angles and a (video) recording of different views of a magic show pre-recorded simultaneously by a series of cameras set at predetermined different camera angles and television or computer for accessing at least some of the different views locally by one of line and wireless means and operable by an individual member of an audience to switch channels to switch different views for display, alternatively, on a screen, during the magic show. A view access fee can be collected. The different views may be stored on a DVD/CD or hard drive.

System for interactive display of a magic show

When merchandising magic tricks, a web site has a first information set with a motion picture of expert performance of each trick type and a second information set with graphical instructions for perfecting performance of each trick type. Tricks are supplied in a store, with either packaging or an adjacent advertising display for each different type of magic trick marked with first indicia including the web site address and a first key identifying the type of magic trick and visible to a customer prior to purchase so that the customer can access the web site for a demonstration of the trick prior to purchase. Second indicia for that type of trick and a second key, different from the first key, are concealed from the customer by the trick packaging so that a customer can access the instructions for perfecting performance only after purchasing the magic trick.

Merchandising magic tricks, mechanical or action/motion puzzles

First and second half or associated objects, in respective different sequential positions are aligned behind respective adjacent, first and second, inclined faces of an optical prism so that, when viewed at different angles alternately through a front face of the prism, images of the first and second half objects are seen alternately by transmission and total internal reflection at alternate faces, combining to form completed whole images of first and second objects alternatively, thereby providing an impression of animation by object movement. The half objects can be pictures of half of a same or similar face or person having respective different expressions producing a changing expression or hands producing a clapping effect. Written message portions associated with half objects can form a complete message/slogan when viewed at alternate angles. The optical prism can be solid or liquid filled and embodied in picture frames, domestic utensils or personal accessories/apparel.

Personalized animation by selective reflection

A magic set comprises of a plurality of leaves form a book. The book is provided with at least one portion for holding movable props at predetermined different display locations on faces thereof and a prop moved by a user in accordance with the directions between different display locations on one face of a leaf in the performance routine of one trick mechanically interacts with one of trick indicia and a prop on an opposite face of the one leaf to determine an outcome of one of a same and another, previously initiated trick, while a portion of the prop which would reveal a solution to the one of a same and another trick remains undetected throughout the performance of routines of both tricks performance.

Book-form magic set

A deck of cards having front faces carrying indicia of playing values to and identical back faces each having a first end portion marked with a first image and a second, opposite end portion marked with a second image which is complementary to the first image and inverted relative to the first image so that so that the first and second images of overlying first and second end portions of different cards are aligned in the deck to provide an animated or kinematic effect when the deck is flipped. Front faces of each cards can also have first end and second end portions marked with complementary first and second images, respectively, to provide a kinematic image effect when the cards are flipped. At least three different, complementary images can be provided on respective front faces of different cards to form sequences of reciprocal actions so that exposure in any order when the cards are flipped provides a kinematic effect.

Kineographic playing cards

A simulated finger is mounted for unnatural movement on a finger-ring structure so that the simulated finger appears to a casual observer to be the person's natural finger. In different examples, the movements are rotational or axial, and can expose a simulated bone and can be accompanied by appropriated sounds such as screeching or ratchetting. In another example, the simulated finger incorporated a whistle sounded by holding the tip of the simulated finger to the lips and blowing.

Simulated finger device

A magic set comprises a valise containing a set of props, cue sheets and a series of illustrated sheets pivotally bound together. The case can be opened to support the sheets as an elevated, horizontally extending stack to form a stage. Successively uppermost illustrated sheets of scenery can be turned over by a magician to hang vertically from the front of the stage interacting with the illustrated sheet next uppermost to provide different scenes of a continuous magic show. Indicia marked on the illustrated sheets interact and interfit with props in the performance of tricks.

Table top magic theater set

A magician's prop comprise a flat body having an elongate body portion extending along a central axis rearward from a head and elongate lateral portions extending laterally and forward from locations on respective opposite sides of the body portion behind the head to free end portions protruding a small distance in front of the head. A ballast weight and a magnetic element of less weight are concealed in respective free end portions, with respective centers of gravity thereof spaced in front of the head. The resultant weight distribution of the body is such that, when extending horizontally, the surreptitious addition and removal of a hidden magnetic balance weight to the magnetic element by a magician's sleight of hand sets the object into and out of balance extending horizontally from a single pylon positioned under the head, the improbable horizontal balance providing an illusion that a portion of the body remote from the head is suspended. A second magnetic element can be provided to obtain an alternative point of adherence for the balance weight and a point of balance alternative to the head. The ballast weight can be omitted and a third magnetic element and a second balance weight.

Spectator failure trick involving suspension illusion

Savings bank

A savings box housing comprises a front panel with a transparent window and an opaque rear panel and light-opaque side panels extending from the front to the rear panels. The front and rear panels are disposed symmetrically with respect to a partition located in a plane extending across a central location of the housing interior to divide the housing interior into a front compartment on the window side and a rear compartment on the rear-panel side. A mirror extends over substantially the entire surface of a front side of the partition facing the window. A slide assembly consisting of two slides mounted in slots formed in the housing wall on respective opposite sides of the partition for receipt in the front and rear spaces, respectively, is provided in the housing for sliding movement between a first, coin receiving position, in which the slide assembly is withdrawn from the housing enabling a coin to be set on the slide assembly and, a second, coin depositing position in which the slides are received in the front and rear compartments, respectively, with the coin deposited by the rear slide in the rear compartment concealed during deposit behind the mirror surface and partition so that it cannot be seen through the window, providing the illusion that the coin has gone somewhere outside the housing or that the coin is simply missing.

Savings box

An image transformation puzzle comprising a series of elements with image portions on respective front faces thereof successively linked together for incremental translational and rotational movement around a closed loop path between different positions in which image portions of different elements combine to form different composite images. Image portions of successive elements combine in one of the different positions to reduce the total number of composite images in that position producing a vanishing image effect. The elements may be formed as solid profiles of the image portions.

Growing community of inventors

New York, NY, United States of America

Mark Setteducati